1 – Introduction

Christianity is the religion which was founded in Palestine in the first century A.D. in the person and work of Jesus Christ by his disciples and followers. Subsequently this faith was widely adopted in many nations. Today followers of Christianity are 1.93 billion in the world population of over 6 billion which means Christian faith is professed by thirty percent of mankind approximately. While Christians live in almost every country, there are more than 100 countries wherein they are in majority and which can conveniently be called Christian countries.

Present-day Christianity exhibits three main divisions, Roman Catholic, Protestant, and Eastern Orthodox. These are convenient names rather than full official titles, and some Christian groups do not fall within any of the three. Despite long separation and much variety, all three main divisions share certain identifying characteristics of typical Christianity. These include adoration of Jesus Christ as the second person in the Trinity of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; the use of sacred rites, of which the most important are designated sacraments; reverence for the Old and New Testaments as authoritative Holy Scripture; the requirement of a morally disciplined life; and the maintenance of a structure of church government and a body of trained clergy.¹

Is Christianity really founded on the teachings of Jesus Christ? This is the question which is often asked not only by non-Christian students of this religion but also by Christians themselves when they study and find wide gap between the life and message of Jesus and the teachings and practices of Christianity. To this question the authors of “Great Religions By Which Men Live” thus provide the answer: “It was from Jesus that Christianity got its start and its name. Jesus, however, would probably feel himself a stranger in discussions of Christian belief. As Jesus had found, to his sorrow, people are often more eager to pay respect to a trusted teacher than to follow his example of courageous seeking. From the first century, Christians for got or ignored most of what Jesus taught. Instead they clung to Jesus. They saw in him many things which he apparently never dreamed of claiming for himself. Christianity is not the religion of Jesus. It is the religion about Jesus.”

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2 – Jesus Christ

1.  Prophet Jesus Christ, in whose name Christianity was instituted, was born in 4 B.C., or a year or two earlier in Bethlehem (south of Jerusalem), Palestine. Mary the mother of Jesus (whom the revealed book of Islam the Qur’an calls a saintly and pious woman) miraculously conceived and gave birth to Jesus. Mary and Joseph (legal father of Jesus) belonged to Bani-Israel (Israelites, the Hebrews) and lived in Nazareth of Galilee. Joseph pursued his trade as a carpenter and he and his family were devout Jews. Of Jesus’ childhood and youth little is known except that he used to attend synagogue services with his parents, memorized by heart long passages from the Torah and the “Prophets” (Old Testament) and as a child he was trained to be carpenter.

Through his legal father Joseph, Jesus belonged to the tribe of Judah and the family of David, the second king of Israel, a heritage needed by the Messiah for whom the Hebrew people were waiting. In Ad 26/27 his cousin John the Baptist proclaimed the coming of the promised Messiah and baptized Jesus, who then made two missionary journeys through the district of Galilee. His teaching, summarized in the Sermon on the Mount aroused both religious opposition from the Pharisees and secular opposition from the party supporting the Roman governor, Herod Antipas. When Jesus returned to Jerusalem (probably in AD 29), a week before the Passover festival, he was greeted by the people as the Messiah. And the Hebrew authorities (aided by the apostle Judas) had him arrested and condemned to death, after a hurried trial by the Sanhedrin (Supreme Jewish court) for blasphemy.² The Roman procurator Pontius Pilate endeavoured to procure Jesus release, as stated by early Christian sources, by offering him to the crowd as the prisoner to be released to them for that year. But the crowd cried for the release of Barabbas known as a robber, instead of Jesus.

After his baptism, Jesus had gathered 12 disciples but was forsaken by all before he was crucified. Even one of his disciples Judas betrayed him to his enemies for 30 coins. Three days after his crucifixion, there came reports of Jesus Resurrection, and later, his ascension to heaven.

2.  Account of Jesus, as constructed by Encyclopedia Americana from the Gospels, is summarized below:

Birth and Early Years: Matthew begins his Gospel with a genealogy of Jesus, tracing his descent from Abraham and David. The genealogy serves to show that Jesus fulfills God's promises throughout the history of Israel, and the same point is made by the five stories he tells of Jesus birth and childhood. Each of the stories contains an Old Testament prophecy thought to be fulfilled in the narrative. An angel tells Joseph that the child conceived in Mary is “of the Holy Spirit” and that he should not hesitate to take her as his wife (1:18-25). Wise men come from the East to see the newborn child (2:1-12). Angel warns Joseph to take his family and flee to Egypt (2:13-15). King Herod slaughters the innocent children of Bethlehem (2:16-18). Joseph, Mary, and the child Jesus return from Egypt and settle in Nazareth (2:19-23).

Like Matthew, Luke tells stories of Jesus' birth and early years in order to prove him the Messiah and the fulfillment of God’s purposes in the Old Testament. His seven stories are woven together by the theme of promise and fulfillment. An angel announces the birth of John the Baptist to Zechariah, his father (1:5-25)'. Similarly, the angel Gabriel announces the birth of Jesus to Mary (1:26–38). The two promises are joined in the third story, when Mary visits Elizabeth, soon to give birth to John the Baptist (1:39-56). The next two stories tell of the births of John and of Jesus (1:57-2:20). The last two describe Jesus' presentation in the Temple as an infant (2:21–40) and his teaching in the Temple as a 12-year-old boy (2:41-52). Luke gives Jesus' genealogy immediately after his baptism, tracing his lineage back to Adam (3:23-38).

Mark and John tell nothing of Jesus' life before his baptism by John, but at that point they join the account given by Matthew and Luke. John the Baptist appears in the wilderness, baptizing his followers in the Jordan River. Jesus is baptized, a dove descends from heaven, and in a heavenly voice proclaims him God’s Son (Mark 1:1ff.: Matthew 3; Luke 3:1-22: John 1:19ff). “Thou art my beloved Son; with thee I am well pleased” (Luke3: 21-22).

Although the Gospels describe Jesus as coming from Nazareth, they claim that he was born in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:1 "Luke 2:4). Since Bethlehem was the birthplace of King David (the "City of David") and was the more appropriate place for the Messiah's birth, we cannot exclude the possibility of a special theological pleading in the traditions. According to Luke's evidence, Jesus was born during an enrollment for tax or census purposes when Quirinus was governor of Syria. The most likely date for this enrollment is 6 B.C. Further, Matthew explicitly and Luke implicitly date Jesus birth during the reign of King Herod, who died in 4 B.C. Certainty is not possible, but it seems reasonable to suppose that Jesus was born in Bethlehem about 6 B.C. and that he grew up in Nazareth.

Matthew and Luke claim that Jesus was conceived and born supernaturally. His virgin birth, according to Matthew, fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14 (Matthew 1:18 – 25).

His Ministry: The Gospels agree in telling us that Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist and that this marked the beginning of his public career. Luke supplies information that gives an exact date for this event (3:1 – 2), and 27 A.D usually is regarded as the year to which he refers. Assuming that Jesus’ ministry lasted three years, the crucifixion would be placed in 30 A.D.

John tells us that Jesus’ ministry began in both Galilee and Judaea. After gaining disciples from John the Baptist (1:35-51), Jesus performs his first miracle by changing water into wine at a marriage in Cana of Galilee (2:1ff.). He enters Jerusalem and expels the merchants from the Temple (2:13-22). His ministry in Jerusalem draws the Pharisee Nicodemus to him (3:1-21). John the Baptist bears final witness to Jesus (3:22-30), who then departs for Galilee, passing through Samaria and encountering the woman at Jacob’s well (4:1-42). In Galilee he heals an official’s son (4:46-54). Jesus returns to Jerusalem, where he heals a paralytic at the pool of Bethzatha (chapter 5). He goes back to Galilee, where he miraculously feeds the 5,000 in the wilderness (Chapter 6). Offended by Jesus’ interpretation of this miracle, many of his disciples turn away. John then turns his attention to mounting opposition to Jesus, which finally leads to his rejection and death.

The four Gospels treat Jesus ministry as one of miracle working and teaching. Most of the miracles are healings. Demons are cast out (for example, the Gerasene demoniac in Mark 5: 1ff). The blind and lame are healed (John 9; Mark 10:46ff.; Mark 2:1ff.). The lepers are cleansed (Mark l:40ff.; Luke 17:11ff. The sick are healed - the centurion's servant (Matthew 8:5ff.) and the bleeding woman (Mark 5:25ff) – and the dead are raised – Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5:21ff.), the widow of Nain's son (Luke 7:1ff.), and Lazarus (John 11:1ff.). Jesus also performs several nature miracles. These include stilling a storm and walking on the Sea of Galilee (Mark 4:35ff. and 6:45ff). He miraculously feeds the multitudes in the wilderness (Mark 6:32ff. and 8:1ff.; John 6:1ff.). Luke gives an account of a miraculous draught of fishes (5:1ff.), a story John tells of the risen Lord (21:1ff.).

His Last Days and Resurrection: Jesus words and deeds are unacceptable to his own people. Rejected at Nazareth (Mark 6:1ff.), misunderstood by his own family (Mark 3:31ff.), and constantly in controversy with the scribes and Pharisees (Mark 2:1-3:6, 3:22ff., 7:1ff., 8:11ff.), he is attended by a sense of doom on his final journey to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover with his disciples. The Passion and Resurrection narratives (Mark 14:1ff,; Matthew 26;1ff.; Luke 22:1ff.; John 18:1ff.) describe Jesus' fate. In the synoptic Gospels his cleansing of the Temple provokes the final crisis. In John it is the raising of Lazarus that resolves the Jewish Sanhedrin to have him executed. After the Last Supper with his disciples (a Passover meal in the synoptic Gospels) Jesus goes to the Garden of Gethsemane, where he is betrayed by Judas and arrested. He is taken before the Sanhedrin, which interrogates him and hands him over to Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor. Pilate ends by ordering his execution, and Jesus is crucified between two thieves on Calvary. He is buried in Joseph of Arimathea's tomb, and early the following Sunday morning women find his tomb empty. The risen Lord appears to various disciples, and the story ends with his commissioning the disciples for their work in the world. Luke, both in his Gospel and in Acts, adds an account of Jesus' Ascension into heaven.

Judaism’s attitude toward Jesus and the reasons of his rejection by the Jews have been analysed by the Colliers Encyclopedia as under:

“Judaism’s rejection of Christianity is based not only upon its judgment that Jesus turned out not to have been the Messiah, but upon its inability to accept the Pauline elements introduced into Jesus’ teaching. These elements are listed by Milton Steinberg in his work Basic Judaism as follows; “The insistence that the flesh is evil and to be suppressed; the notion of original sin and damnation from before birth of all human beings; the conception of Jesus not as a man but as God made flesh; the conviction that men can be saved vicariously, that indeed this is the only way in which they can be saved, and that Jesus is God's sacrifice of His only begotten son so that by believing in him they may be saved; the abrogation of the authority of Scripture and the Traditions and the nullification of the commandments of the Torah; the faith that Jesus,  having been resurrected from the dead, bides his time in Heaven until the hour is come for him to return to earth to judge mankind and establish God's Kingdom; the final and climactic doctrine that he who earnestly believes these things is automatically saved, but that he who denies them, no matter how virtuous otherwise, is lost.”

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3 – Teachings of Jesus

Jesus was sent as Prophet and reformer to the Israelites. He himself is stated to have said: “I have come to reclaim the lost sheep of house of Israel.” During his ministry, which lasted only for a period of 3 years from 27 A.D. to 30 A.D., the central theme of his teachings was the reality of God, Kingdom of God and relationship of man with God whom he addressed as Father or “Father in Heaven.” He spoke in simple and un-technical language about the central issues in religion. Being a born Jew and having been sent to reform the Israelites, Jesus was truly Jewish in his thinking.

Matthew summarizes Jesus’ teaching by organizing it into five great discourses. The sermon on the Mount (4:25-7:29), paralleled by the Sermon on the Plain in Luke 6:17ff., presents the new Law given by Jesus as the Messiah. The Commissioning of the Twelve (10:1-11:1) consists of instructions to the disciples for their mission. The Parable Discourse (13:1-53) presents Jesus’ parabolic teaching about the Kingdom of God (The familiar parables of the Good Samaritan and of the Prodigal Son are found only in Luke 10:29ff. and 15:11ff.) The Discourse on the Kingdom (18:1-19:1) describes the character of the Christian community. Finally, in the Discourse on the Last Things (24:1-26:1), an elaboration of what scholars call the synoptic apocalypse, Jesus predicts the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, the end of the world, and his own Second Coming as the heavenly judge.³

Christians say that Jesus message is timeless, because he drew teachings directly from the experiences of people he knew. To them, many of his statements are as true today as when he uttered them. Numbers of devoted Christians have been inspired to thoughtful living by his parables or by his Sermon on the Mount. Studied carefully and used thoughtfully, such teachings still bring peace of mind to present-day Christians.⁴

The sum and substance of Jesus’ message and his teachings is given as under:

God: Like his predecessors in Israel, Jesus never debated the case for belief in God; he simply assumed it. He never argued that God is the Creator of the universe, but he pointed to the lilies that God has clothed in all their beauty. He never discussed God’s omnipotence, but he asserted that not a sparrow falls to the ground without the Father’s will. He never theorized about divine providence, but he invited men to pray for their daily bread. He never speculated about God’s omniscience, but he declared that even the hairs of our heads are numbered.⁵

God for Jesus was the God of uncompromising righteousness. Because He is radical goodness, He cannot tolerate iniquity. There is no shallow sentimentalism in Jesus’ thought. The overtones of Jesus’ word are those of God’s majesty and justice, but the tones are those of His mercy and His love.⁶

The majesty and the mercy of God, the righteousness and the loving kindness of God, the justice and the love of God all are summed up by Jesus in the name “Father.” Others had used the title before him, but it was he who put the thought of God as Father at the heart of religion. To a great extent all his preaching was an exposition of his distinctive concept. God may be known in many ways, but the thought of Him as Father transcends and crowns them all.⁷

Kingdom of God: It is unanimously held by the scholars that the burden of the message of Jesus was proclamation of the “kingdom of God.” Mathew uses the expression “kingdom of Heaven”, but it means the same thing since “heaven” is a Pharisaic term for God. Kingdom means “reign” or “rule” and so Jesus spoke of the rule of God. Unlike his immediate predecessors who spoke kingdom of god to come in future, Jesus spoke of the kingdom as both a future as well as a present reality. At the future level, Jesus was predicting the end of the world and the approach of a time when God’s reign would triumph over every evil. This aspect of his message was not strikingly different from expectations found elsewhere in 1^st century Judaism.

However, Jesus saw the signs that the reign of God had anticipated the end of the world and is presently at work in his person and ministry. God not only will be King after this world order has been destroyed but is already King in Jesus work. Several of the parables indicate the way in which Jesus understood the relationship between the present and the future dimensions of the Kingdom. Presently, the Kingdom is like leaven in dough (Matthew 13:33; Luke 13:20-21), and its work will be completed at the end. The parable of the sower (Mark 4:1Off.) as preserved in the synoptic Gospels calls attention to the various responses to Jesus' message. But the form critics suggest that its original meanings had to do with the assurance that the present character of the kingdom would find its consummation after this world order in the “new age.” The contrast between the broadcast sowing of wheat and the abundant harvest serves to assure Jesus’ followers that the present hidden and lowly character of the Kingdom will be followed by an open and glorious consummation in the future.⁸

Jesus’ message of the Kingdom as both future and present is one of promise and assurance. His followers seem to have been recruited largely from the outcasts of his society – poor fishermen from Galilee, harlots, tax collectors. But the message is a challenge as well as a promise. It carries with it the demand for a new life and a new righteousness. The rich young man is commanded not only to obey the Law but also to sell His goods for the poor and to follow Jesus (Matthew 19:16ff.). The disciple must be willing to embrace poverty and persecution. The ethical norms of the Kingdom reflect a radical obedience to God that goes far beyond obeying a set of rules.⁹

Jesus’ view of Jewish Law: Jesus reverenced the law as "the commandment of God" but challenged the validity of the scribal tradition. He confirmed the authority of the moral law but questioned the sanctions of ceremonial legislation. He emphasized motive and attitude rather than precept and prescription-a set of the will rather than conformity to a pattern. He even described some commandments in the law as faulty and held that they were superseded by higher principles. No doubt Jesus was accused of violating the Sabbath, refusing to observe laws of ritual cleanliness, and failing to observe the Jewish fasts.¹⁰

What is less clear is the degree to when Jesus intended to break with Judaism. There can be little doubt that he accepted the authority of the Old Testament and sought to deepen and radicalize its meaning. If the Old Testament prohibited murder and adultery, Jesus took the Law a step further by prohibiting the attitudes of anger and lust that lie behind these sins. More problematic is his attitude toward the Pharisees’ legal interpretations of the Old Testament, known as the Oral Law and finally embodied in the Talmud. According to Matthew 23 he attacked the Pharisees for failing to practice what they preached and insisted that his followers obey the Oral Law. But according to Mathew 15; 1ff. he rejected aspects of the Oral Law and claimed that they violated the spirit of God’s law in Scripture. Perhaps the best conclusion is that Jesus' radical interpretation of the law was intended to draw out the true meaning of Judaism, but his attitude was perceived by the Jewish religious leaders as rejection of their authority and their views.¹¹

Moral Teachings of Jesus: According to Jesus, the qualities that fit a man for the kingdom of God are sincerity, fidelity, humility, and obedience. These already had been highly praised in Hebrew prophecy and Jewish wisdom, but in Jesus' articulation of them they emerge in a singularly radical phrasing. Radical devotion to God tolerates no vacillation, no half measures, no divided allegiance. It requires utter freedom from all selfishness, covetousness, sensuality, and desire for revenge. It prohibits the lustful passion as well as the adulterous act. It demands absolute truthfulness rather than the mere avoidance of perjury. It forbids retaliation in any form for injustice. It enjoins complete detachment from earthly treasures and anxieties. It calls for unreserved commitment of one's whole self to the kingdom of God. It requires an attitude of love that includes God, one's neighbor, and one's enemy.¹²

It is difficult to exaggerate the absolute character of the Gospel ethic. We are to serve God and no other master. We are to eschew all anger rather than content ourselves with inhibiting its fruits. We are to love our enemies as God in His love embraces all men. We are to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect. The complement in the Gospel to this radical ethic of obedience is the message of the love, the mercy, and the forgiveness of God. The God who demands that we be perfect as He is perfect is also the God who is ever ready to renew the fellowship with Himself that is broken by our sin. The God of the Sermon on the Mount is also the God of the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost prodigal son.¹³

Social Teachings of Jesus: 1. Many of the people whom Jesus knew had lost a sense of their own true worth. They felt that they were not important to God or to men. The priests and religious teachers had only added to their problems by labeling them “sinners” and “unclean.” To such troubled people, Jesus preached a message of confidence. “You are the salt of the earth!” “You are the light of the world!¹⁴

2. To remove anxiety of those who have unnecessary worries about countless things in life – big and small – Jesus said: Do not worry about life, wondering what you will have to eat or drink, or about your body, wondering what you will have to wear. Is not life more important than food and the body than clothes? Look at the wild birds. They do not sow or reap, or store their food in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.¹⁵

3. Jesus taught people that they should love their neighbors in the same way that they love themselves. If we are to love other people, we must first love ourselves. We have often been told to love ourselves last. But if this were the case, we would never love anyone. Loving oneself wisely is the basis of loving others well.¹⁶

4. Jesus taught suppression of anger, patience and forgiveness. He is reported to have said: if someone slaps on your right cheek, turn to him your left one also.¹⁷

Jesus was well aware of the fact that if one does not truly forgive, he himself cannot be happy: “If you forgive others when they offend your heavenly Father will forgive you too. But if you do not forgive others when they offend you, your heavenly Father will not forgive you for your offenses.”¹⁸

And in the familiar prayer based on Jesus’ suggestions to his followers, there is this request: “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.”¹⁹

5. He taught his followers to be honest and straight. He enjoined the people to refrain from hypocrisy and show off. To Jesus, inner honesty was of first importance in living to good life. He called for people to be good, not just to practice goodness. He was distressed by pretenders who stood up to pray in the synagogues or on the street corners so that people would think them pious. Jesus said that the prayer said in the privacy of one’s own heart and home was far, far better than a prayer for its public effect. He told his followers that they would get nowhere in the spiritual search by repeating “empty phrases”.²⁰

6. No doubt Jesus was accused of having soft corner for the Zealots who had rebellions attitude towards the Roman government and also of proclaiming himself as king of the Jews (although he had not done it), and was tried and crucified on these charges. But he never took part in politics, never incited rebellion against the Romans. He is stated to have advised his followers: Give unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and unto God what is God’s.

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4 – Holy Scripture

New Testament is the name given the collection of 27 sacred writings that supplement the Jewish Scripture in the Christian Bible. The Jewish Scriptures accordingly are called the Old Testament. The English word “Testament” is, however, an inadequate translation of the Greek word diatheke, which was meant to convey the idea of covenant rather than of a document governing inheritance (that is, “last will and testament”). Thus the title of the Revised Standard Version (1946) reads: “The New Covenant commonly called the New Testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”²¹

The New Covenant was viewed not only as the supplement to the Old but also as its real climax: from the beginning of the long course of divine revelation God had intended to proclaim this final and complete “covenant,” “new law,” or “way of salvation” (Hebrews 1:1-4, John 1:1-18). Hence the Christian Scriptures include both Old and New Testaments: the New does not supplant the Old but completes it.²²

As mentioned above the Christian Bible contains 27 books that constitute the New Testament. The name of these books are as under, according to the King James version in English:

Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts

Romans
1 – 2Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 – 2 Thessalonians
1 – 2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews

James
1 – 2 Peter
1 – 2 – 3 John
Jude

Revelation of John

It is known that Jesus himself did not write down his teachings, but relied upon his disciples to go about preaching what he taught, from memory. It is generally assumed by historians that, after his death, some of them did write down his sayings, with occasional notes of the historical setting, before they should be forgotten, and that, thus a document, or group of documents, came into being, which scholars call “Q” (from the German word Quelle or “source”). It is generally considered that, ‘Q’ was coloured by the prepossessions of the early Christians, and had sayings added to it, which were mistakenly ascribed to Jesus. It is from Q and other oral traditions which formed primary source material for the Gospels.²³

The earliest of these, Mark, comes from Rome, about 68, and was designed to encourage the persecuted Christians under Nero to stand fast and die rather than renounce Christ (see especially 8:34-38; 13:35-37).²⁴

A few years later, perhaps about 85-95, Luke wrote his Gospel (based on Mark and Q) and Acts, a two-volume work designed as an apology for Christianity, to show that the new religion was the true Judaism (or "true Israel") and therefore entitled to religious freedom like the Judaism of the Jews and that it was not inimical to law and order. The work was dedicated (presented) to Theophilus (Luke 1:1–4; Acts 1:1–3), perhaps a Roman official.²⁵

Later still, perhaps a little later than 100, the Gospel of Matthew was compiled, a didactic, perhaps even a liturgical arrangement of Jesus’ deeds and words (based on Mark and O) in five divisions for use in the church's teaching and worship.²⁶

Finally, the Gospel of John was written (about 100–125?) to repudiate and to repel the Gnostic or Docetic interpretation of Christ's life and teaching which represented him as a divine phantom.²⁷

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5 – Beliefs

Belief in God: Christians believe that there is one God and that He created the universe and continues to care for it. Cradled as it was in Judaism, Christianity took this belief in the reality of God from its parent religion. However, Christian view of God is marked by increased emphasis on the fatherhood of God, a theme vividly presented in the teachings and prayers of Jesus. Thus at the foundation of the Christian structure of belief is the affirmation of God in terms of creation and of fatherly concern for man.

Christians have offered many descriptions of God, even though they admit that God is beyond human understanding and description. He is unlimited in power, in wisdom, in mercy, and in love. He is boundless, invisible, and gracious. He is Judge, Lord, Father.²⁸

Belief in Jesus: Belief in Jesus Christ is perhaps the central theme of Christianity around which the whole religious structure revolves. Typically a high concept of Christ pervades the Christian mind, signalized by such terms as “Son of God”, “Our Lord” and “Saviour”.

Jesus of Nazareth, in his belief in God, stood firmly in the prophetic tradition. God, he taught, was just and merciful and personally concerned for all his creation. But in two respects the influence of Jesus modified the inherited prophetic faith. First, Jesus approached God with an unprecedented intimacy, evidenced in his addressing of God as Abba, the familiar and affectionate word for “father.” Second, the followers of Jesus saw in him the revelation of God, who had of his own choice entered into human life for the sake of man. Henceforth Christian belief in God was to be inseparable from faith in Jesus Christ.²⁹

The accounts of Gospels regarding his birth of a virgin and his identification with Logos (creative and light-giving Word of God) together with reports of his resurrection after death, ascension to heaven and destined return to earth have given rise to the concept of divinity of Jesus. Although some Christians regards Jesus as a great but human teacher yet a vast majority of them views Jesus as God Incarnate, i.e., a divine being who took on the human appearance and characteristics of a man. They believe that Jesus is the saviour who died on the cross to save humanity from sin.

Christians have said that Jesus is a personal savior. Usually, they call him the Christ, which means Deliverer or Messiah. They say that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Most Christians have believed that he shares in God's divinity, that he is God himself. He lived and died as a man and for men. But he arose from the grave and ascended into heaven to “sit at the right hand of God,” as one famous creed declares.³⁰

One of the greatest debates in Christian history was about whether Jesus was a god, like God, or the God. After a great deal of angry oratory, it was finally decided that Jesus was “very God of very God.”³¹

Belief in Holy Spirit: Christians also believe in Holy Spirit. They believe that after Jesus’ earthly life, God sent Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit to lead people into better ways of life.

For many years, great arguments were held in orthodox circles as to the place and function of the Holy Spirit. Most modern Christians are no longer concerned with such debates. The Holy Spirit is looked upon as God in another form. It is the power of God working in and through the life of the believer to sustain him and to keep him in right relationship to God.³²

The belief that in one God there are three persons – the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit – is known as the doctrine of the Trinity. Roman catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches and many Protestant Churches accept this doctrine as the central teaching of Christianity.

Christians are usually indignant when someone says that Christianity is not monotheistic. However, people in non-Christian lands find it very difficult to understand how God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit can be one God. Christians often answer that God can appear in many roles, just as one man may be a son, a husband and a father.³³

Other Beliefs: The Christians also believe in doctrine of original sin and atonement. According to their belief, mankind laboured under the burden of original sin which they inherited from their parents Adam and Eve who earned it by disobeying God’s command regarding the forbidden tree in Paradise. In order to redeem mankind from this sin, God took pity and sent his only begotten son Jesus Christ who paid the ransom by embracing death on the cross.

We would discuss the Doctrine of Trinity and Doctrine of Atonement in detail in the subsequent sections.

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6 – Worship and Rituals

Forms of Worship: Christian worship, despite its modern variety, generally retains certain of its earliest features. It reflects the influence of the synagogue in the public reading of the Holy scripture normally with comment or exposition. Two practices common in Christian worship which take place usually in the Church are Baptism and the Eucharist. The ceremony of Baptism takes place when a new person enters into Christianity, The Eucharist, also called Holy communion or Lord’s supper, represents the last supper, the final meal that Jesus shared with his disciples on the eve of his crucifixion and which he commanded as memorial to himself. Worshippers share bread and wine in the Eucharist as a sign of their unity with Jesus and with each other.

The seven sacraments recognized in the medieval Christianity and in modern Roman Catholicism and Orthodoxy are: Baptism; Confirmation; Marriage; Extreme Unction, the Eucharist, Penance, and Ordination. These will be elaborated in the section relating to Roman Catholicism under the head “Divisions of the Church”.

Protestants base worship on Scripture and early church practice and use in it language of the people. They view negatively all ceremonial accretions and reduce the sacraments to Baptism and the Eucharist only. Besides worship in the Church, the protestants also hold domestic worship. In modern times, the assembly of the household about the so-called family alter (as the service commonly is called) occurs principally in the families of Protestant clergymen, either daily or on Sunday, usually before or after breakfast, but occasionally in the evening. Here and there among the pious laity such services also occur, ordinarily only on Sunday. The worship is short and simple. It includes normally, although exceptions and variations exist: (1) reading of a Biblical passage, customarily by the father of the family; (2) an extemporaneous or occasionally set prayer, ordinarily also by the father; and (3) singing a hymn, with or without musical accompaniment, by all the family. Sometimes the reader from the Bible or another (older) person will offer a brief meditation on the reading by demonstrating its pertinence to historical or modern times.³⁴

By far the majority of Christians have said that Jesus was an essential part of God’s way of making salvation possible. This had led Christians to pray to the Christ and to worship him, just as they worship God. In Jesus Christ, many Christians have found all the god they know.³⁵

Schedules of worship: Sunday morning, associated in Christian memory with the Resurrection of Christ, has always been the most favoured time of Christian worship. This has been made convenient by the recognition under most governments of Sunday as weekly holiday. However the worship is not confined to Sundays only as frequent occasions for it are provided on other days.

Besides weekly routines of worship, there is annual round of solemn occasions collectively known as the Christian Year. The great feast of Easter has been celebrated in remembrance of Christ’s Resurrection from the earliest times. Lent, the period of 40 days (not counting Sundays) before Easter, came to be kept as a season of special penitential abstinence, ending with Holy Week, when the passion of the Christ is vividly recalled in special acts of Worship. Easter Day has traditionally brought a great release of gladness, with pealing bells and chanting choirs. The Christian Year begins, however, with the Advent season, which includes the four Sundays preceding Christmas Day. The 25^th December is the Christmas Day and is celebrated as Jesus’ birthday. Previously this day was celebrated by the pagans as birthday of Mithra the sungod.³⁶

Monasticism: The term “Monasticism” comes from the Greek monos, meaning “alone”, “one”, “only”, It connotes that monastics separate themselves from society to live alone. It, as a way of life, is the religious, cultural and sociological complex of beliefs and practices characteristic of monks and nuns. Monasticism entered into Christianity in the third century when it began in Egypt and rapidly spread to other regions. It arose to check the declining moral character of the majority of Christians. The movement represented an effort on the part of the pious to conform to what they believed were the commands of the Christ.

The most widely practiced forms of monastic asceticism are obedience, celibacy and poverty. Monasteries provide a supportive framework for the monastic. Discipline is imposed on one’s eating and sleeping habits and on one’s total behaviour. The goal of this self denial is self – improvement toward contemplative alertness. Christian monks and nuns dedicate themselves to the service of the Christ. Monasticism developed a detailed system of conventional worship, with seven times of prayers and psalmody daily. However, their Breviary containing these services was revised by pope Gregory VII in 11^th century.

Fasting: In Christianity, fasts, originally voluntary, became the subject of legislation only in the 4th century. The Roman Catholic Church distinguishes between fast and abstinence. The former, obligatory on all persons over 21, permits only one full meal in 24 hours; the latter, which binds all over 14, forbids meat or dishes made from meat. The only obligatory fasts today are those of Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. The faithful are also required to observe a one-hour fast before receiving Holy Communion. Formerly, fasting was enjoined throughout Lent (except on Sundays), on Ember Days, on vigils of the more solemn festivals, and on all Fridays except between Christmas and Epiphany and between Easter and Ascension. According to universal church law, abstinence was prescribed for all Sundays in Lent, St. Mark's Day (if not in Easter Week), Rogation Days, all Saturdays, and all Fridays except those noted above. The universal law, however, was usually adjusted by local custom and dispensation. The older system is followed, at least nominally, by the Church of England.³⁷

The Greek Orthodox Church recognizes 266 fast days in the year. These include every Wednesday and Friday; the 40 days before Christmas and the 40 before-Easter; the fast of the Apostles, between Whitsunday (Penecost) and the feast of St. Peter; and the Lent of the Virgin, from August 1 until August 15 (the feast of the Assumption, or, as it is called in the East, the Dormition). In contrast to the Roman Catholic Church, the Orthodox never keep Saturday as a day of abstinence.³⁸

The Eastern Orthodox permit all food except meat during the first week of Lent. Thereafter, however, fish, cheese, butter, oil, milk, and eggs are also banned, except on Saturdays and Sundays. The Copts and Nestorians add a 3-day “fast of the Ninevites” before Lent.³⁹

The reformed churches of Europe fasted during Lent only; the Scottish Presbyterians recognized only fasts with Scriptural authority.⁴⁰

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7 – Doctrine of Divine Trinity

We have already made a brief reference to the doctrine of Divine Trinity while discussing Christian beliefs. Trinity comprises, according to the Christians, God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We have already explained all the three separately. This doctrine has not been mentioned in the Gospels nor it can be directly proved from them.

The writer of the book “The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life” has laboured hard to prove that Trinity does not appear in the Bible nor the early Christians believed in it. Let us reproduce his thoughtful discourse.

Many religions of Christendom teach that God is a “Trinity,” although the word “Trinity” does not appear in the Bible. The World Council of Churches recently said that all religions that are part of that Council should advocate the belief that there is “one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,” that is, three persons in one God. Those teaching this doctrine admit that it is “a mystery.” The Athanasian Creed, of about the eighth century of the Common Era, says that the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost (Spirit) are all three of the same substance, all three are eternal (and hence had no beginning), and all three are almighty. So the creed reads that in the “Trinity none is afore or after other; none is greater or less than another.”* Is that reasonable? More importantly, is it in agreement with the Bible?

This doctrine was unknown to the Hebrew prophets and Christian apostles. The New Catholic Encyclopedia (1967 edition, Vol. XIV, p. 306) admits that “the doctrine of the Holy Trinity is not taught in the OT [Old Testament].” It also admits that the doctrine must be dated as from about three hundred and fifty years after the death of Jesus Christ. So the early Christians who were taught directly by Jesus Christ did not believe that God is a “Trinity.”

“When Jesus was on earth he certainly was not equal to his Father, for he said there were some things that neither he nor the angels knew but that only God knew. (Mark 13:32) Further-more, he prayed to his Father for help when undergoing trial. (Luke 22:41, 42) Also, he himself said: “The Father is greater than I am.” (John 14:28) Because of this, Jesus spoke of his Father as “my God” and as “the only true God.”–John 20:17; 17:3.

After Jesus' death, God raised him to life again and gave him glory greater than he had before. However, he was still not equal to his Father. How do we know? Because later the inspired Scriptures state that God is still “the head of the Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:3) The Bible also says that Jesus is to reign as God's appointed king until he has put all enemies under his feet, and that then shall “the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.” (1 Corinthians 15:28, AV) Clearly, even since his resurrection Jesus Christ is not equal with his Father.

But did not Jesus say on one occasion, “I and the Father are one”? (John 10:30) Yes, he did. However, that statement does not even suggest a “Trinity,” since he spoke of only two as being one, not three. Jesus was surely not contradicting the scriptures we have already read. What he meant by this expression he himself made clear later when he prayed regarding his followers that “they may be one just as we are one.” (John 17:22) Jesus and his “Father are “one” in that Jesus is in full harmony with his Father. And he prayed that all his followers might likewise be in harmony with his Father, with Jesus and with one another.

What about the statement at John 1:1 (AV), which refers to Jesus as “the Word,” saying: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”? Does that not prove the “Trinity”? No. Notice, first of all, that only two persons are mentioned, not three. Also, in this same chapter, verse 2 says that the Word was “in the beginning with God,” and verse 18 says that “no man hath seen God at any time,” yet men have seen Jesus Christ. For these reasons, and in full harmony with the Greek text, some translations of verse 1 read: “The Word was with God, and the Word was divine,” or was “a god,” that is, the Word was a powerful godlike one. (AT;NW) So this portion of the Bible is in agreement with all the rest: it does not teach a “Trinity.”

As for the “Holy Spirit,” the so-called “third Person of the Trinity,'' we have already seen that it is, not a person, but God's active force. (Judges 14:6) John the Baptist said that Jesus would baptize with holy spirit even as John had been baptizing with water. Water is not a person nor is holy spirit a person. (Matthew 3:11) What John foretold was fulfilled when God caused his Son Christ Jesus to pour out holy spirit on the apostles and disciples during the day of Pentecost 33 C.E., (so that “they all became filled with holy spirit.” Were they “filled” with a person? No, but they were filled with God's active force.—Acts 2:4, 33. What then, do the facts show as to the “Trinity”? Neither the word nor the idea is in God's Word, the Bible. The doctrine did not originate with God. But, you will be interested to know that, according to the book Babylonian Life and History (by Sir E. A. Wallis Budge, 1925 edition, pp. 146, 147), in ancient Babylon, the pagans did believe in such a thing; in fact, they worshiped more than one trinity of gods.

2. Development and indoctrination of Christian concept of Divine Trinity has been discussed by Collier’s Encyclopedia under the head Trinitarian controversy as follows:

“The Church. found it necessary to define its position on several theological issues which divided its constituency. What, precisely, was the relation of the Son to the Father, and how were the divine and human in Jesus related? The Church early became committed to the doctrine of the Trinity, namely that God is one and that he is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The first Christians, as Jews, had been nurtured on the basic conviction that God is one. Jesus taught that God is Father. Through what they had seen of him in his life, his death, and the idea of resurrection, his disciples became convinced that Jesus was also God. But how could they still believe that God is one? How are Father, Son, and Holy Spirit God, and how are they related to one another?”

“In the second and third centuries, Christians devoted much thought to these questions and differed widely in their answers. In the Greek word Logos, which had wide currency in contemporary philosophy and which is loosely translated as “word,” they found a term which seemed to be usable, and they sought to give it a content which would be consistent with what they believed about Christ. But how was the Logos related to the Father? One school of thought became known as Arianism from a leading exponent Arius (256-336), a priest in the church of Alexandria. Arianism held that the Father had created the Son, that there had been a time when the Son had not existed, and that he was subordinate to the Father. So acute did the controversy become that Constantine feared that the division within the Church might jeopardize the uneasy unity of the Empire which he had achieved. To resolve the issue, he called a council of the church in 325 at Nicaca, not far from Constantinople. It became the first of what the Christian Church has regarded as “ecumenical councils,” that is, representative of the entire church. After a stormy debate it condemned Arianism. The creed which is today called Nicene embodies the findings of the council. On the major issue it declares: “I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of His father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father.” The creed was later elaborated, but without doing violence to the original meaning. The Greek in which it was first phrased employed terms to which a distinctive meaning was given. One term, homoousion, translated as “the same substance,” was central. It meant that Christ was truly God – “very God of very God” according to the English translation – and was no subordinate to the Father. Arianism, however, continued to be influential for several centuries; it was endorsed by some later emperors and was the form of Christianity to which several of the German people were converted.”

“Since the Council of Nicaca left unresolved the relations of the human to the divine in Jesus, three subsequent ecumenical councils examined this question. The last council which met at Chalcedon in 451 and is called the fourth of this series, adopted a statement to which Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Anglicans, and most Protestants still adhere declares that Jesus Christ is of the same substance (homoousion) as (“consubstantial” with) the Father and also of the same substance as men – that he is both fully God and full man. Moreover, it states that the two natures, divine and human, are in Him, but that in such a union both are preserved without being separated into two persons.  Some Eastern churches, while insisting that they held to Nicaca rejected Chalcedon. The separation was partly on political and ethnic grounds and arose from unwillingness to submit to the Greek and Latins who controlled the Roman Empire and the Catholic Church. The view of the Eastern churches – often but incorrectly called Monophysite – stressed the divinity and minimized the humanity of Christ; it is still held by Armenian, Egyptian Coptic, Ethiopian, and Syrian (Near Eastern and Indian) Christians.”

3. About Christian concept of Trinity, the Encyclopedia Encarta says:

“Christianity began as a Jewish sect and thus took over the Hebrew God, the Jewish scriptures eventually becoming, for Christians, the Old Testament. During his ministry, Jesus was probably understood as a holy man of God, but by the end of the 1^st century Christians had exalted him into the divine sphere, and this created tension with the monotheistic tradition of Judaism. The solution of the problem was the development of the doctrine of the triune God, or Trinity, which, although it is suggested in the New Testament, was not fully formulated until the 4^th century. The God of the Old Testament became, for Christians, the Father, a title that Jesus himself has applied to him and that was meant to stress his love and care rather than his power. Jesus himself, acknowledged as the Christ, was understood as the incarnate Son, or Word (Logos), the concrete manifestation of God within the finite order. Both expressions, Son and Word, imply a being who is both distinct from the Father and yet so closely akin to him as to be “of the same substance” (Greek homoousion) with him. The Holy spirit – said in the West to proceed from the Father and the Son, in the East to proceed from the Father alone - is the immanent presence and activity of God in the creation, which he strives to bring to perfection. Although Christian theology speaks of the three “persons” of the Trinity, these are not persons in the Modern sense, but three ways of being of the one God.”

4. The Encyclopedia Americana explains the concept of Trinity as under:

“The central and characteristic Christian doctrine of God is that He exists in Three Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. (“Holy Ghost” is the traditional English translation of Sanctus Spiritus and means the same as “Holy Spirit.'“) At the same time, the Christian church insists that God is One in “substance” (Latin substantial, existence or inner essence), and thus combines in a “mystery” (a formula or conception which really transcends human understanding) the truths set forth in the Holy Scriptures. It is held that although the doctrine is beyond the grasp of human reason, it is, like many of the formulations of physical science, not contrary to reason, and may be apprehended (though it may not be comprehended) by the human mind.”

“It is probably a mistake to assume that the doctrine resulted from the intrusion of Greek metaphysics or philosophy into Christian thought; for the data upon which the doctrine rests, and also its earliest attempts at formulation, are much older than the church’s encounter with Greek philosophy. The earliest development of the doctrine may in fact be viewed as an attempt to preserve the balance between the various statements of Scripture, or their implications, without yielding to views which, though logical enough, would have destroyed or abandoned important areas of Christian belief. The simplest affirmation is that God is “Three in One, and One in Three,” without making use of such technical terms, derived from law or philosophy, as “substance” or “person.” God is Father, and the Father is God; God is Son, and the Son is God; God is Spirit, and the Spirit is God. The statement is often seen, in Latin, in early stained-glass church windows, with three circles at the corners of a triangle and an inner circle connected with each (Fig. 1). The doctrine thus graphically symbolized might perhaps better be described as that of the divine “Triunity” rather than the “Trinity.” At best the terms “substance” and “person” are themselves only symbolic, and point to a mysterious reality which cannot be either literally described or mathematically formulated. Furthermore, these two terms are, in English, only the rough equivalents of their Latin originals, which had far wider connotations than the English words now possess. The term “Trinity” (Greek Trias) was first used by Theophilus of Antioch (fl. c. 180 A.D,), and provided a convenient term of reference, though it did not provide a definition.”

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8 – Doctrine of Atonement

6. Christian doctrine of original sin, its atonement through crucifixion of Jesus and deliverance of mankind from it is explained, in the words of the author of “The Truth that leads to Eternal Life”, as under:

When Jehovah God created Adam and Eve, He said to Adam: “From every tree of the garden you may eat to satisfaction. But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will positively die” – (Genesis 2:16-17) Satan the devil, however, speaking through the serpent misguided Eve, Adam’s wife, representing the tree’s fruit as being able to cause her to be like God, deciding for herself what was “good” and what was “bad”. Eve then disobeyed God by eating of the fruit from the tree of knowledge. Adam, her husband, upon finding out what she had done, did not oppose her course but joined her in it. By this disobedience to God’s command, they became guilty of sin and hence were driven out of the garden of Eden. This sin was inherited by all mankind being children of Adam. Since God intended to forgive mankind and bless them with eternal peace, He sent his only son Jesus to earth to be offered as ransom for deliverance of mankind.

Jesus knew that his coming to earth as a man was a direct part of God's arrangement for releasing humankind from sin and death. So he said: “The Son of man came ... to give his soul a ransom in exchange for many.” (Matthew 20:28) Exactly what does that mean? Well, a ransom is the price paid to obtain deliverance from captivity. In this case, Jesus' perfect human life offered in sacrifice was the price paid to obtain mankind's release from bondage to sin and death. (1 Peter 1:18,19) Why was such a release needed?

This was because Adam, the forefather of us all, had sinned against God. Thus, Adam became imperfect and lost the right to life. As a willful violator of God's law, he came under its penalty of death. God had also established laws of heredity, which assure that we all receive physical characteristics and other traits from our parents. According to these laws, Adam could pass on to his offspring only what he himself had; so we received from him an inheritance of sin and death. (Romans 5:12) All mankind therefore has been dying in payment of the penalty of sin. How could this death penalty be lifted and the requirements of justice still be met?

God did not weaken and compromise as to his own laws. This would have merely encouraged further lawlessness by a bad example. Yet he did not turn his back on mankind and leave them without hope. While sticking to his laws, God lovingly provided relief, not for the willful sinner Adam, but for Adam's offspring, who, without any choice in the matter, suffered the effects of his wrong. God did this in harmony with a legal principle that he later included in the Mosaic law, namely, “soul will be for soul.” (Deuteronomy 19: 21) Let us see how that principle applied in the ransom provided through Jesus.

The “living soul” Adam, who forfeited life for mankind, was a perfect human. In exchange for what he lost, another human soul, equal to Adam, was needed, one who would offer his own perfect life as a sacrifice on behalf of mankind. (1 Corinthians 15:45) No offspring of Adam qualified for this, because all were born imperfect. As a result they all die because they are sinners, and they have no right to human life that they can sacrifice on behalf of others. (Psalm 49:7 [48:8,Dy]) So God sent his own Son to earth. Jesus was born as a human, because it was a human life that was required. But he was born without the aid of a human father, so that he would be perfect as Adam was. God alone was the Father of the human Jesus, as he had also been Adam's Father.  (Luke 3:38) Thus Jesus was fully qualified to offer his life as a “corresponding ransom.” – 1 Timothy 2:6; Ephesians 1:7.

On Nisan 14 of the year 33 C.E. Jesus’ enemies put him to death on a torture stake. He could have resisted, but he did not. (Matthew 26:53, 54) He willingly laid down his life in sacrifice for us. As his apostle Peter tells us: “He himself bore our sins in his own body upon the stake, in order that we might be done with sins and live to righteousness. And 'by his stripes you were healed.’” –1 Peter 2:24; see also Hebrews 2:9.

That was indeed a marvelous expression of God's love for mankind! The Bible helps us to appreciate it, saying: “God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, in order that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.” (John 3: 16) If you are a parent who has a dearly loved son, no doubt you can appreciate, at least to some extent, what that meant to God. It surely should warm our hearts toward him to realize that he cares for us so much. –1 John 4:9-11.

Jehovah God did not leave his Son dead in the grave, but raised him to life on the third day. He was not given human life again, because that would have meant that he was taking back the ransom price. But he was “made alive in the spirit.” (1 Peter 3:18) During a period of forty days after his resurrection he appeared visibly to his disciples a number of times, in materialized bodies, to prove that he really had been raised from the dead. Then, with the disciples looking on, he ascended heavenward and was caught out of sight in a cloud. He returned to heaven, there “to appear before the person of God for us” bearing the value of his ransom sacrifice as the great high priest. (Hebrews 9:12, 24) The requirements of divine justice had been met; relief was now available for mankind.

Even now we may benefit greatly from the ransom. By exercising faith in it we can enjoy a clean standing before God and come under his loving care. (Revelation 7:9, 10, 13-15) When, due to imperfection, we commit a sin, we can freely seek forgiveness from God on the basis of the ransom, with confidence that he will hear us. (1 John 2:1, 2) Furthermore, the ransom has opened up the way for preservation through the end of this present wicked system of things. It makes possible the resurrection of the dead. And it provides the basis for gaining eternal life in God's new system of things, where it will be applied to mankind in order to wipe away all the effects of inherited sin. –1 Corinthians 15:25, 26; Revelation 7:17.

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9 – Divisions in the Church

The differences between the East and West which were partly political, party racial, and partly religious particularly over the pope’s authority led to split in the Christian religion in the year 1054 breaking it into Roman Catholic Church for the West and Eastern Orthodox Church for the East. The Roman Catholic Church of the West was again divided in the sixteenth century when desire to reform Christianity led to coming into existence of Protestantism independent of Roman Catholicism. These divisions have come to stay and thus Christian religion today has three main branches or sects, namely: Roman Catholic Church, Protestant Church and Eastern Orthodox Church. Doctrines, beliefs and practices of each Church are briefly discussed as under:

Roman Catholic Church: The Roman Catholics trace their origin back to a conversation which took place between Jesus and Peter as reported in Matthew (16: 17-19). Jesus told Peter that he is the foundation of the Church and gave to him the keys of the kingdom. Peter was thus appointed first pope with the authority to judge between right and wrong and also to forgive sins or withhold forgiveness. This brought into existence the Roman Catholic Church under the headship of Peter who was succeeded by a line of Popes till today. Each Pope receives the authority which was once Peter’s. Pope is the visible head of the Church while Jesus is the invisible ruler.

2. According to Roman Catholic beliefs, the Church is an essential part of God’s plan for salvation of men. God, out of His love and grace, established the Church to make clear and definite the means of man’s redemption. The catholic is not asked to understand the plan of salvation, nor to understand God as he cannot. He is asked to believe and obey. All men need to be saved because of their share in original sin that mankind’s parents Adam an Eve committed by rebelling against God. God provided, however, a way of salvation from the burden of sin when His only son Jesus paid the debt by death on the cross and thus making it possible for all the people to receive salvation. The salvation brings a person the highest happiness he can know, the Beatific Vision i.e., the experience of coming face to face with God, which would be possible in the heaven after death.

3. The Roman Catholic Bible includes the familiar books of the Old and New Testaments and an additional section known as the Apocrypha. Catholics revere the Bible chiefly because it contains the story of salvation. They believe that there are no errors or uncertainties in the Bible. However, most Catholics do not study the Bible personally. They are not expected to interpret it for themselves, since the Church teaches a meaning for most of its passages. It is far more important that a Catholic study the teachings of the Church than that he read the Bible.⁴¹

4. A Roman Catholic receives seven sacraments from the Church which give him guidance and strength on the path to salvation. These are:

a)        Sacrament of Baptism which he receives in infancy and which removes the guilt of original sin;

b)         Sacrament of Confirmation is given when he reaches the age of understanding and it bestows the blessings of the Holy Spirit;

c)         Sacrament of Matrimony confers God’s blessings and approval upon marriage and upon children to be born to the couple;

d)         Sacrament of Ordination is given to purify and dedicate men for service in the priesthood;

e)         Sacrament of Extreme Unction which grants forgiveness from the last sins;

f)       Sacrament of Eucharist which is celebrated on each Sunday and on certain other days when Catholics are expected to attend a service called the Mass; and

g)         Sacrament of Penance which includes regretting the sin, confessing to a priest, accomplishing penalties assigned by the priest, and obtaining forgiveness from the priest.

5. The saints honored by Roman Catholics include the early disciples, some members of holy orders, and others whose faith and actions showed their full dedication to the search for salvation. Catholics believe that these saintly persons lived the life that leads to salvation so successfully that they can help others. Through prayer to the saint, through burning candles before his image, and through other acts of honoring his spirit, the Roman Catholic believes that he may obtain some of the saint's merit for himself.⁴²

Roman Catholics revere the mother of Jesus as “Holy Mary, Mother of God.” They believe that she was extraordinarily honored by God when he chose her to be the virgin mother of his miraculously conceived son. To many Catholics, Mary seems nearer and more concerned with their daily problems than either Christ or God, who inspire worshipers with awe. They sometimes call her “Queen of Heaven,” and they ask her to pray for them, now and at the time of their deaths.⁴³

Eastern Orthodox Church: The Eastern Church has no Pope. Eastern Christians believe that they are members of the only authentic church stemming directly from the work of the first Christians.

1. The Eastern churches have not changed the creeds, but they do not interpret them literally. Roman Catholics have concentrated upon the salvation available through the death of Jesus. But Eastern Catholics have been far more interested in his divine-human nature. Roman Catholics have tried harder to obey the teachings of the Church. But Eastern Christians have tried harder to feel at one with God. Other Christians have been occupied with winning salvation for the next life. But Eastern Christians have sought a spiritual rebirth in this life.⁴⁴

2. Sacraments. The Eastern Orthodox Christians observe seven sacraments. Like Roman Catholics, they consider the mass their most important act of worship but both the cup and the bread are offered to the congregation.⁴⁵

3. Priesthood. Priests are looked upon as necessary agents between God and man. A priest may be married, if the marriage takes place before his ordination. Monks, of course, take the usual vows of devotion, chastity, obedience, and poverty. From among the monks, bishops are chosen for each patriarchate. They are known as patriarchs or metropolitans. They are equal in rank, though one may be designated as honorary leader.⁴⁶

4. Worship. The formal and impressive services of worship are dear to the Eastern Christians. Their priests intone the words of the ritual in Greek, or in Old Church Slavonic. Churches are decorated with special religious paintings called icons—never with statues.⁴⁷

5. Scriptures. The scriptures are substantially the same as the Bible familiar to all Christians. Priests encourage their people to read the Bible, and all may interpret what they read.⁴⁸

6. The Eastern Orthodox Christian has usually felt that his religion demanded a change in his inner life. He has not felt that it asked great changes in society or governments.⁴⁹

Most of the Eastern orthodox Christians are found in eastern Europe, in Asia, and in Egypt.

Protestant Church: Protestant Reformation was a revolt against the authority of the Roman Catholic Church and the Pope which was led by Martin Luther, a German priest, when he questioned a highly publicized sale of indulgences offered by an official of the Pope which guaranteed forgiveness of sins.

Luther disagreed with church teaching about the role of human effort in salvation. Like Saint Paul, Luther argued that people are saved through faith alone in Jesus Christ. Luther believed that faith was a gift from God. This position contradicted the Roman Catholic doctrine that salvation could be achieved through effort, or good works. According to Luther, the Bible alone and not traditional church doctrine should guide Christians. The Lutheran movement based on his teachings spread rapidly through northern Germany and the Scandinavian countries during the 1520s.⁵⁰

The teachings of John Calvin, a French Protestant thinker, greatly influenced the Reformation in Switzerland, England, Scotland, France, and the Netherlands. Calvin agreed with Luther about salvation through faith. But Calvin was more interested in how Christianity could reform society. Calvin urged Christians to live in communities according to the divine law expressed in the Bible.⁵¹

In England, King Henry VIII influenced Parliament to establish the Church of England after he had declared his independence from the pope in 1534. But Calvinists in England wanted further reform. Their disputes with the Church of England led to the formation of the Presbyterian and Congregationalist churches in the 1600s.⁵²

Later leaders made other extensive “protests” against the authority of the Church. Their motives varied, but all of them had one belief in common. The way to salvation was not exclusively linked with the Roman Catholic Church and the Pope. Most of the protests were against the church system, not against the doctrine. For most Protestants, there are still no radical doctrinal disagreements.⁵³

There are now scores of different sects in Protestantism with no single authority over them all. Most Protestants believe in the rights of others to choose their own religious beliefs and their own religious fellowships. Freedom of belief and choice of church have led to many variations on the Protestant theme. Despite this, Protestants are finding increasing areas of agreement, in their creeds and in their social-service efforts.⁵⁴

1. Salvation by Faith. Most Protestants claim that no person, regardless of what he does, can earn salvation for him-self or anyone else Salvation is a gift of God. One must believe that Jesus' life and death enabled people to regain a harmonious relationship with God. God's greatest blessing lies in this plan of salvation, which is open to all. All that is required is faith.⁵⁵

2. Dedicated Living. The religious life does not require that a person leave marriage, family, and daily human interests. Protestants have almost no monks or nuns, and their ministers are usually men with families. Faith, not works, constitutes the path to salvation. Faith does not depend on one’s occupation, but God does call a person to give of his best efforts wherever he is. Religion is not a matter of church-going and pious meditation. It is the way you live each day.⁵⁶

3. The Priesthood of All Believers. Each person can go directly to God for himself. The task of the Church and its ministers is to teach men, not to act for them or command them. This is the real core of Protestantism. There are different reasons for the existence of the Church: to interpret God's will, to foster a fellowship of mutually helpful members who seek the same goals. Church governments vary, some being directed by ministers, some by ministers and designated members, and some by the entire membership.⁵⁷

4. The Bible. Most Protestants believe that the Bible contains the rules for faith and practice of religion. Protestants therefore study their Bibles seriously, reading them in their own language. Although many Protestants are now interpreting the Bible much less rigidly, there are still some who claim for it full authority, to the smallest word, without regard for its historical meaning.⁵⁸

5. Worship. Protestants are encouraged to pray sincerely and frequently. To some, prayer is a method of asking God for things. Or it is a way of helping friends from a predicament or “converting' someone. To the most thoughtful, it is an attempt to see things for what they really are, to come into a right relationship with oneself, with one's God, and with one's world.⁵⁹

Most Protestants observe two sacraments, baptism and communion. They do not believe the doctrine of transubstantiation. To Protestants, a person's feelings and intentions when he takes a sacrament are more important than the rites of the sacrament. This is also true of other religious duties, which include an offering to support the church, attendance at services, and participation in the Christian fellowship.⁶⁰

A Protestant is free to live the best and most dedicated life he can, choosing the fellowship in which he feels most able to do it. For help in living this way, some Protestants lean in faith on Jesus as their personal Savior and the Savior of all who believe. Others gain inspiration for the religious life from the noble example of Jesus’ life.⁶¹

Some Protestant sects have claimed that certain teachings are fundamental to Christianity. Especially do they stress the complete truth of the Bible and all the miracles it reports. These Christians are called Fundamentalists. They are known for their strong emotional attempts to convert others to their faith.⁶²

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 Appendix

Extracts From the Holy Bible

(New Testament)

1.        In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

• The same was in the beginning with God.

• All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

• In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

• And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

• There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

• The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

• He was rot that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

• That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

• He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

• He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

• But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

• Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

• And the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

• John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.

• And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace.

• For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

• No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

–– St. John 1: 1-18

2.   And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

• And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

• Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

• Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

• Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

• Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

• Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

• Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

• Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

• Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

• Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

• Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

• Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

• Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

• Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candle stick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

• Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

• Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.

• For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

• Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men, so he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

• For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

• Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

• But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

• Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;

• Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

• Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

• Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

• Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

• But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

• And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

• And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

• It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:

• But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

• Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thy self, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:

• But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne:

• Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.

• Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

• But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

• Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:

• But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

• And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.

• And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

• Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

• Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

• But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

• That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

• For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same?

• And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? Do not even the publicans so?

• Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

–– St. Matthew 5: 1-48

3.         Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.

• Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the street, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

• But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:

• That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

• And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

• But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

• But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

• Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

• After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven. Hallowed be thy name.

• Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

• Give us this day our daily bread.

• And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

• And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

• For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

• But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

• Moreover when ye fast be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

• But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face.

• That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

• Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

• But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

• For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

• The light of the body is the eye if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

• But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. Therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

• No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

• Therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

• Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

• Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

• And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

• And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

• Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

• Therefore take no thought, saying, what shall we eat? Or, what shall we drink? Or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

• (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

• But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

• Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

–– St. Matthew 6: 1-34

4.         Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,

• Saying, the scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat:

• All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

• For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders’ but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

• But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

• And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

• And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

• But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

• And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

• Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

• But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

• And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

• But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

• Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

• Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

• Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!

• Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

• And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.

• Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gifts?

• Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.

• And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.

• And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.

• Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

• Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

• Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

• Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

• Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.

• Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

• Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchers of the righteous,

• And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

• Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.

• Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.

• Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

• Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:

• That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.

• Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.

• O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gahtereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

• Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.

• For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

–– St. Matthew 23: 1-39

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 REFERENCES

1-                     Encyclopedia Americana.

2-                     The Hutchinson Encyclopedia

3-                     Encyclopedia Americana.

4-                     Great Religions by Which Men Live.

5 to 7-               Encyclopedia Americana.

8 to 11-             Encyclopedia Americana.

12,13-               Encyclopedia Americana.

14 to 20-           Great Religions by Which Men Live.

21 to 22-           Encyclopedia Americana.

23-                    Islam & World Religions.

24 to 27-           Encyclopedia Americana.

28-                    Great Religions by Which Men Live.

29-                    Encyclopedia Americana.

30 to 33-           Great Religions by Which Men Live.

34-                    Encyclopedia Americana.

35-                    Great Religions by Which Men Live.

36-                    Encyclopedia Americana.

37 to 40-           Encyclopedia Americana.

41 to 49-           Great Religions by Which Men Live.

50 to 52-           World Book Encyclopedia.

53 to 62-           Great Religions by Which Men Live.